Sacred Laughter of the Sufis: Awakening the Soul with the Mulla's Comic Teaching Stories and Other Islamic Wisdom

Manufacturer: SkyLight Paths

A first-of-its-kind combination of the legendary wisdom stories of Islam's great comic foil with spiritual insights for seekers of all traditionsâ€•or none."We would do well to heed the Mulla's wisdom. One day, inevitably, our personal storms will not abate before causing destruction. Something will break our hearts and cause us to ask deeper questions. At that point we will become spiritual seekers, each in our own way.... We will begin to hear deep inside the mysterious calling of our soul to fulï¬ll the purpose for which we were created."â€•from the chapter "The Storms in Our Lives"The mythical Mulla Nasruddin is a village simpleton and sage rolled into one. His wisdom stories, timeless and placeless, emanate from a source beyond book learning, and contain several layers of meaning.In this unique presentation, Imam Jamal Rahman weaves together spiritual insights with the Mulla's humorous teaching stories and connects them to the issues at the heart of the spiritual quest. Addressing such topics as human vulnerability, the rigors of inner and outer spiritual work, the hazards of the ego and more, he roots the Mullaâ€™s stories in Islamic spirituality by pairing them with sayings from the Qurâ€™an, the Prophet Muhammad, Rumi, Hafiz and other Islamic sages.Together, these sources combined with spiritual practices will awaken your spirit with laughter and inspire you to transform yourself and the world around you.

The Purity of Desire: 100 Poems of Rumi

Manufacturer: Penguin Books

The first full-length volume of Rumiâ€™s cherished verse by bestselling poet Daniel Ladinsky Renowned for his poignant renderings of Hafizâ€™s mystical texts, Daniel Ladinsky captures the beauty, intimacy, and musicality of another of Islamâ€™s most beloved poets and spiritual thinkers. In collaboration here with Nancy Owen Barton, and with learned insight and a delicate touch, they explore the nuances of desireâ€”that universal emotionâ€”in verse inspired by Rumiâ€™s love and admiration for his companion and spiritual teacher, Shams-e Tabriz. These poems thoughtfully capture the compelling wisdom of one of Islamâ€™s most revered artistic and religious voices and one of the most widely read poets in the English language.

Ibn al-Arabi On the Mysteries of the Purifying Alms (Futuhat Al-Makkiyya (Meccan Revelations))

Manufacturer: Kazi Publications, Inc.

Translated from Chapter 70 of the Futuhat al-Makkiyya by Aisha Bewley, Ibn al-Arabi explains the mysteries of the Islamic practice of the purifying alms in a way no other scholar every has. He opens up doors of intuition to the astute reader.

The Illustrated Rumi: A Treasury of Wisdom from the Poet of the Soul

Manufacturer: HarperOne
Brand: Brand: HarperOne

The bestselling poet in America today, thirteenth-century Sufi mystic Jalalu'ddin Rumi has inspired and enlightened thousands with his playful, passionate work celebrating the sacred in everyday life. Now the spiritual wealth of Rumi's stories and poetry in translation are accompanied by rare and wonderful art in the Sufi tradition. This fresh rendering brings new life to these incomparable parables, which have transcended time, place, culture, and religion to speak directly to the hearts and souls of contemporary readers. With a foreword by Huston Smith, these selections of the inimitable mystic's prose and poetry have been taken from all of the master's works. Each parable, such as The King and the Handmaiden, The Grocer and the Parrot, The Ugly Old Woman, and The Man Who Was Always Being Swindled, is related as Rumi might have presented it to his fascinated audiences, as he whirled in meditation and trance. But each story also has a spiritual message, a holy essence that applies across all faiths, uttered from the heart of Islam. Each of these messages is provided here in a modern rendering that keeps the flavor of this unique period of history, of culture, and of inspired, passionate beauty.

Journey to the Lord of Power: A Sufi Manual on Retreat

Manufacturer: Inner Traditions
Brand: Unknown

Journey to the Lord of Power is the first English translation of Ibn 'Arabi's twelfth-century text dealing with spiritual ascent. 'Arabi, whose metaphysical teachings have had a profound influence on both the Muslim and Christian worlds, is known as one of the greatest writers of mystical love poetry of all time. Written in answer to the questions of a friend, this illuminating guide describes the evolutionary path of our higher spiritual aspirations--the quest for the ultimate reality, the journey toward God. It is chiefly concerned with spiritual retreat, an advanced and potentially dangerous Sufi practice that aims at the attainment of the Presence of God through absolute abandonment of the world. Realizing the imagination's deceptive power, 'Arabi warns that this form of retreat should not be undertaken except at the order of a sheikh or by one who has mastered the self. Each stage of the journey is accompanied by a temptation which can be overcome only by an unshakable desire for God. 'Arabi explains each step of the ascent leading toward human perfection. In this perilous voyage of self-discovery, the reader will encounter the Realms of the mineral, vegetable, and animal worlds, eventually reaching the Gardens and the Throne of Mercy. The traveler of the Sufi mystic path is called upon to cleanse his or her heart in order to safely reach the final destination--the Lord of Power.

The Secret of Secrets (Golden Palm Series)

An interpretative translation by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak of Sirr al-Asrar by Hadrat Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (1077-1166AD), considered by many to be one of the greatest saints of Islam and the eponymous founder of the Qadiriyya order. This book, appearing in English for the first time, contains the very essence of Sufism, giving a Sufi explanation of how the outward practises of Islamâ€”prayer, fasting, almsgiving and pilgrimageâ€”contain a wealth of inner dimension which must be discovered and enjoyed if external actions are to be performed in a manner pleasing to God. When this is achieved the soul finds true peace and the spiritual life becomes complete.

The Pocket Rumi (Shambhala Pocket Classics)

Manufacturer: Shambhala
Brand: Helminski, Kabir (EDT)

The cry of the soul in love with God has never been more eloquently expressed than by the great Persian Sufi master Jalaluddin Rumi (1207â€“1273). Readers have thrilled to his ecstatic songs of divine union for more than eight hundred years. Now, here is a collection of the best of Rumiâ€™s poetry in an edition small enough to carry with you wherever you go.

Women of Sufism: A Hidden Treasure

Manufacturer: Shambhala
Brand: Brand: Shambhala

The luminous presence of women who follow the Sufi Wayâ€”the mystical path of Islamâ€”is brought to life here through their sacred songs and poetry, their dreams and visions, and stories of their efforts as they witness the Truth in many realms. These writings reflect the honor and respect for the feminine in the Sufi worldview, and they are shared in the spirit of inspiration and hope for the flourishing contributions of women to the spiritual development of humanity. Spanning the centuries, from the time of the Prophet Muhammad to the present day, the selections are by or about an array of Sufi traditions in different parts of the world, from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East to Europe and Americaâ€”from beloved members of the Prophet's family to the mystic Rabi'a al-Adawiyya to the modern scholar Annemarie Schimmel. Biographical anecdotes and personal memoirs provide a glimpse into the experience of great saints and contemporary practitioners alike, while providing an introduction to the principles and practices of Sufism.

The Marvels of the Heart: Science of the Spirit (Ihya Ulum Al-Din/ the Revival of the Religious Sciences)

Manufacturer: Fons Vitae
Brand: Fons Vitae

Marvels of the Heart is thought to be the key volume of the 40-book Ihya' 'Ulum-Al DinÂ—Revival of the Religious SciencesÂ—, the most read work in the Muslim world after the Qurâ€™an, and considered by many to be the Summa Theologica of Islam. These traditional teaching stories, which use the theme of the heart as a mirror, illustrate key tenets of Islam on the requirements of religion, living in society, and the inner life of the soul.